Writing & Editing Final Exam - Mack
What To Avoid (The Art of Editing)
- Cliches - Needless Complexitiy - Repetition - Jargon - Energy Sappers (I.e., "provide" vs. "give") - Underbrush - Passive Wording
Lead
- Usually 1 sentence (maybe 2 tops) - Clear, active summary of the story
Elements of a Brand
- Visuals - Physical Facilities - Training - Packaging - Standards of Behavior/Values - Customer Service - Name - Logo and Trade Dress - Treatment of Employees - Ads, Tag Lines, and Mission Statements
An attention-grabbing outer envelope AND A personalized fundraising letter AND A personalized reply form
A fundraising package traditionally contains what? (It may be more than one of the answers) - An attention-grabbing outer envelope - A personalized fundraising letter - An inexpensive "thank-you" trinket - A personalized reply form
Feature Article
Articles that have human interest - Tell a story/structured more like stories - Anecdotes and descriptive language - More flexibility in style of writing
Interviewing Techniques
Ask Good Questions... - Forces the person to think - Open-ended Qs - Follow-up Qs - Have lots of Qs ready (more than you need)
Common Law (or Case Law or Judge-Made Law)
Judges' decisions in lawsuits based upon prior cases (precedent)
Statutory Law (Statutes)
Laws passed by elected legislatures (state legislatures, Congress); these may be changed (amended), repealed, or ruled unconstitutional
Defamation
Libel + Slander = *[TERM]* - Causes injury to someone's reputation
The Wall Street Journal Style
Open with an anecdote or a snappy, mysterious lead
Administrative Law
Regulations issued by government bodies which are based upon statutory laws
Op Eds
A page where opinions are expressed - Where Opinion Articles and Editorials are - A page on a company or organization's website
Opinion
A person expressing his or her own personal viewpoint - Written in the 1st person - If written as a publication's viewpoint it's an editorial
Ethics In Our Profession
"Behavior that conforms to honorable standards of professional conduct"
News Feature
"Hybrid Stories" - Based on hard news but written in a feature style - Illustrates the news in a more human and personal way
Lying vs. "Puffery"
(1) It is NOT okay to make up facts *vs.* (2) A reasonable level of *[Term 2]* is acceptable in advertising
"That" vs. "Who"
(1) Refers to a THING *vs.* (2) Refers to a PERSON
"It" vs. "They"
(1) When referring to a company or brand use... *vs.* (2) When referring to a group of people use...
Slander
*SPOKEN* - Anything spoken that follows the same standards as Libel
Libel
*WRITTEN* - Can be in a piece of writing, or online, or in a picture, a sign, or various other forms of communication - "False light" is a form = Portraying someone in an unfair or improper context - Must be a "high degree of fault" and "actual malice"
Structuring Options (For Features)
- "Gold coins" - The Wall Street Journal Style - Start in the Middle - "Bookends" - Build around a theme
Nut Graf
- 2nd or 3rd paragraph - Sums up the key facts - Kind of a "mini-release" within the release
Where Are Features Used?
- A company or organization's website - Social media outlets and blogs - A company's annual report - Company/college/organizations' magazines - Publications sent to employees and sales force
Media Kit
- Can be in hard copy form or digital - For a brand or a product the physical copy may be essential - Usually contains a news release, fact sheet, Q & A, backgrounder on the company or key persons, ads, photos, articles
Government (AP Stylebook)
- Capitalize U.S. Congress and Congress - Capitalize the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives (or Senate and House) - Capitalize White House - Capitalize Congressman or Congresswoman if you're using them with a name (ex. Congresswoman Pelosi...) otherwise lower case (ex. The congressman isn't seeking...) - Use "Sen. Cornyn" or "Rep. Granger" for a member of the Senate or the House of Representatives - If you're referring to a specific title, capitalize it (ex. House Speaker Ryan...) - Lowercase "president" if you're NOT using it as a title (ex. The president has low approval ratings)
States and Cities (AP Stylebook)
- Capitalize the name of the state but the word "state" should NOT be capitalized - Don't capitalize the words "city," "town," etc. - Use the postal abbreviations after a city (ex. Fort Worth, TX) - When you refer to a state in the text of a piece of writing spell it out (ex. As I travel throughout Texas, I see signs...)
What Makes a Good Feature/Profile?
- Color (use of descriptive words and ideas) - Personality (painting a picture of an interesting, "real" human being) - An Impactful Lead (a sentence that grabs and intrigues you) - Colorful Quotes (funny, provocative, emotional, surprising) - Human Interest (something out of the ordinary)
- For professional usage - Ensure your profile/photo look professional
Types of Business Letters
- Good News Letters - Bad News Letters - Request Letters - Sales Letter - Pitch Letter - Job Request Letter
Qualities of a Good Opinion Article
- Grab the reader with the headline and lead - Color and anecdotes - Logic and facts for support - Call to action (conclusion) - Rhetorical questions
News Advisories
- Has contact info, heading, dateline - Simply lists who, what, when, where facts - Usually to tell journalists about an event
Dateline
- In CAPS and *bold* - Below headline - Flush left - Usually the city and state of the HEADQUARTERS of the client - Can be another place if the actual news is happening somewhere else
Headline
- In CAPS and *bold* - Very top of the page - Most of the time it is centered - 10 or fewer words - COMPLETE SENTENCE - Can have a "second deck"
When Do We Interact With Lawyers/Legal System?
- In-house legal counsel and/or an outside law firm - When a legal dispute happens you might get dragged into it either to produce documents relating to the dispute, or be questioned about it (deposition) - May need to show your writing to the lawyers for approval - May have to negotiate w/ lawyers
What an Opinion/Advocacy Article Does
- Inform - Alarm - Stir Emotion - Entertain - Reflective - Refute
When and Why To Issue a News Release
- Launch a new product or service - Launch a company or organization - Announce an upcoming event - Issue an alert about a health or safety issue - Make a personnel announcement - Announce breaking news - Release info required by law
Supporting Information
- Low-res photo w/ a link to a place the photo can be downloaded - Link to additional info on the client's website - Explains more about the product or service or news being announced
What Is Required for Defamation?
- Must be able to be proven false - About the plaintiff - The fault of the defendant - Is false/malicious - Causes contempt or ridicule - Damages -> Actual and punitive - Plaintiff has the burden of proof
What Makes a Good News Release?
- Newsworthiness - Interest and Uniqueness - Timeliness - Relevance - Hook - Accuracy - Professional Tone
Numbers (AP Stylebook)
- One through nine spell out - Every number above nine use figures (10, 11, etc.) - Exception: At the start of a sentence SPELL OUT the number
What is NOT Libel
- Opinions - Satire - "Fair Comment" = Everyone has a right to comment on matters of public interest provided they do so fairly
Copyright Protection of Intellectual Property
- Original works of authorship in a tangible form of expression - Protected until *70 years* AFTER author's death
Documents Used in Marketing
- Print Advertising Copy - Broadcast Advertising Copy - Online and Mobile Advertising Copy - Brochures, Fliers, Posters, and Other Collateral Support Material - Sales Communications (to SALES FORCE and to CUSTOMERS) - Web Copy - Social Media Copy - Fundraising Letters - Memos and Internal Communications
Internal Communications
- Reports - Internal Proposals - Internal Presentations - Talking Points/Remarks - Emails - Internal Newsletters
Social Media News Releases
- Same purpose as conventional release but different format - Only appear online - Target is bloggers and online journalists - Facts are presented in bullet point form - Lots of click-through links to other info
Money (AP Stylebook)
- Use the dollar sign $ and numerals - For millions and billions use the $numeral and then the word (ex. $14 billion)
Rules of Business Letters
- Usually 1 page - Single spaced w/ extra space between paragraphs - 4 to 6 spaces for the signature - Client address, 1 space under address is the date - Salutation is "Dear Mr. X:" or "Dear Ms. X:"
What is a Brand? (Brand Ecosystem)
A *[TERM]* is the entire ecosystem that demonstrates a set of values, characteristics, attributes, and distinctions claimed by an entity
Control, Companionship, Confidence
Advertising works because consumers seek solution to 3 main needs. What are they? - Creativity, Credibility, Communications - Control, Companionship, Confidence - Camaraderie, Communications, Caring - Compliments, Compassion, Conversation
Boilerplate
Basic info about the company or organization that is putting out the release - Goes at the bottom of the release before contact info
Everything is "Discoverable" (What Does That Mean For Us?)
Everything can be "discoverable" in a lawsuit so NEVER write anything that you know (or should know) could cause embarrassment to your employer or client
Advocacy
Expressing the views of your employer or client
Micro Editing
Fixing any errors - Spelling, grammar, AP Style, details, etc.
Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
Formatted the same as commercials
Contact Info
Give a name, email, and phone # - At the very end of the release
10
How many sections are in a typical Strategic Message Planner? - 4 - 7 - 9 - 10
4-6 Spaces
How many spaces should you leave for a signature, between the sign-off and your printed name on a business letter? 1-3 Spaces 4-6 Spaces 6-8 Spaces
1
Ideally, an advertisement should include how many strategic messages? - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 or more
Macro Editing
Looking at the "big questions" - Tone, length, sequence, etc.
B2B vs. B2C Marketing
Marketing aimed at other businesses *vs.* marketing aimed at consumers
The majority of print ad viewers see the visuals first AND The majority of website viewers see the headline first
Research shows that which of the following statement(s) is true? (It may be more than one of the answers) - The majority of print ad viewers see the visuals first - The majority of print ad viewers see the headline first - The majority of website viewers see the visuals first - The majority of website viewers see the headline first
Creating a sense of need or desire for what you're selling AND Asking for the sale
Sales letters and email blasts should include which of the following? (It may be more than one of the answers) - A generic salutation, such as "Dear Resident" - Creating a sense of need or desire for what you're selling - Asking for the sale - A reference to your product at the beginning of the letter/email
Podcasts
Should sound conversational, even though they're usually scripted
Websites
Should still use correct AP Style
Public Figures vs. Private Figures
The law tests public officials differently than it tests private citizens for the purpose of protection in libel situations (1) They are fair game on public issues because it comes with the territory *vs.* (2) Given a layer of protection
True
True or False: A business letter generally should be no more than one page long
True
True or False: A strategic message planner is sometimes also referred to as a "copy platform" or a "creative work plan" or a "strategy statement"
False
True or False: An internal memo is often informal and conversational, depending on the person you're sending it to; it's usually less formal than a business letter
False
True or False: Because an internal memo (inside an organization) is private, it will never appear in any public forum, like news coverage
True
True or False: If your business letter is on your company's letterhead stationery, you don't need to type in your company's address
True
True or False: In a print ad -- The headline, the zinger, and the slogan should try to repeat each other, because repetition will reinforce the message
True
True or False: Sometimes, you should write a memo to yourself and just put it in the files, in case you need to refresh your memory about it later
False
True or False: The broad target market of a product, and the target audience of a specific advertisement for that product, are the same thing
True
True or False: When trying to determine the goal of an ad you're creating for a business client, you should focus on how the ad will help create sales and profits
True
True or False: When writing and sending your resume to a prospective employer, it's OK to list any references on a separate page
False
True or False: When you're using a business letter to ask for something, you should gradually lead up to the actual request, and put the "ask" at the very end of the business letter
True
True or False: You should almost always use the word "Sincerely," as the sign-off at the end of a business letter
Title of Publications (AP Stylebook)
Underline the name of a publication
Subheads
Unless a feature article is very short, you should use a few *[TERM]* to break it up into pieces - Like mini-headlines - Draw the reader along to "see what comes next" - Should be about 3-6 words
Quotes
Use *[TERM]* to express OPINION in a news release (use the rest of the release to convey FACTS)
Yelp Reviews
Use white space and formatting correctly
Carbon Copy
What does "cc" refer to when used at the bottom of a business letter?
Continuing a Quote
When continuing it into a second paragraph no quote marks at the end of the first paragraph, use quotes at the start of the second paragraph
Deliver the good news immediately
When delivering good news in a business letter you should... - Build up to it and tell the news at the end - Deliver the good news immediately - Make the letter as short as possible
The First Amendment
Where does the *[TERM]* stop? - When you say something that infringes upon the rights of others (ex. right to privacy) or is harmful or offensive to society - Political Speech v. Commercial Speech
It can contain more than a dozen sections AND Single-space the text AND Everything in an executive summary must appear elsewhere in the proposal
Which of the following is/are true about a marketing proposal? (It may be more than one of the answers) - It can contain more than a dozen sections - Paragraphs should be indented - Single-space the text - Everything in an executive summary must appear elsewhere in the proposal
Dear Ms. Anton:
Which of the following salutations are appropriate for a business letter? Dear Mrs. Jones: Dear Ms. Mary Jones: Dear Mr. Smith, Mr. Panelli: Dear Ms. Anton: Ms. Wender,
Explaining the reason for the bad news is one of the most important parts of the letter AND You should try to include something positive or neutral
Which of these is true about a business letter that delivers bad or negative news? (It may be more than one of the answers) - You should get to the bad news immediately, preferably in the first paragraph - Explaining the reason for the bad news is one of the most important parts of the letter - You should try to include something positive or neutral - The actual bad news should come at the end of a paragraph - You should use as much wording as possible, to try to hide the bad news in verbiage
The Inverted Pyramid
Write a release in DESCENDING order of importance: 1st = Strong, clear lead 2nd = Most important facts 3rd = Less important facts Last = Boilerplate stuff
Family Names (AP Stylebook)
Don't capitalize them unless you're using them as a name - Ex. My mother inspired me to become... - Ex. The person I admire most is Grandmother Smith
Kinds of Writing to Support Brands
1. A Marketing Plan 2. A Strategic Message Plan 3. A Brand Voice Analysis
Important Punctuation Pauses
1. Comma (,) = Brief pause 2. Semicolon (;) = A more "serious" pause 3. Ellipsis (. . .) = Distinct pause 4. Dash ( -- ) = Dramatic pause
The Four-Part Test
1. Is it legal? 2. Is it ethical? 3. Is it in good taste? 4. Is it a good idea (wise judgement)?
Supporting Pieces
1. News Advisories 2. Q and A's 3. Fact Sheets 4. Backgrounders 5. Media Kits
3 Types of Feature Articles
1. Personal Profile 2. Organization Profile 3. Situation Profile
Types of News Releases
1. Straight News (usually an announcement) 2. Feature (contains some human interest) 3. Hybrid
What Can and Can't Be Copyrighted?
Can = Any original written words, images, music Can't = Ideas and facts
PRSA Standards
Clear standards of practice in our profession - Unprofessional Behavior - Unfairness - Violating a Trust - Bad Judgement
Commercial Speech
Communication for a financial (profit-making) goal - Gets a lower level of protection
Political Speech
Discussion of public issues - Gets a high degree of protection
